Known as a player development coach, former head coach Fred Hoiberg's dismissal from the Chicago Bulls has rumors circulating that he has lost authority in the locker room. However, to put a stamp on that issue, Bulls' young guns Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen say that Chicago players respected Hoiberg and played within his system.
Per the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson, on Tuesday, Lavine said “Everybody respected Fred. We all listened to him.”
LaVine: “Everybody respected Fred. We all listened to him.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 4, 2018
LaVine also emphasized that Hoiberg's dismissal was a business move, not an act to overlook his coaching influence on the team.
Zach LaVine: “You understand this is part of the business. Fred’s a great dude. He did a great job, had some circumstances beyond his control.”
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 4, 2018
LaVine definitely has a point right there as the saying that the NBA “is just a business” is a well-known mantra. However, sometimes it's not just about finding a talented coach but the right coach. Obviously, Hoiberg's players look up to him as a brilliant mentor but it's probable that he wasn't the right coach for the Bulls right now.
Markkanen, who has recently come back from a long layoff due to an injury, also chimed in his positive thoughts for Hoiberg, saying “I love playing for Fred and I love him as a person.
Markkanen: "I’ve said it many times: Obviously, I love playing for Fred and love him as a person."
But then when asked if he felt Hoiberg still had control of the locker room, he said: "It’s hard to say. It’s so different. I don’t know. That’s a hard question to ask."— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 4, 2018
Despite his reluctance on the issue of Hoiberg's presence in the locker room, Markkanen emphasized that his teammates respected their former coach.
Markkanen on whether players respected Fred: "Yes, I think so." Cited Hoiberg's laid-back demeanor as something he's used to. Did players take advantage of that? "I don’t know how it went in the past. But I think last year, we had a pretty good group of guys and we didn’t do it."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 4, 2018
After their sixth consecutive loss and their 19th overall this season, the Bulls fired Hoiberg and installed Jim Boylen to man the helm. The team is currently sitting on a 5-19 record and could already be setting their sights on rebuilding the team in 2019.
Aside from LaVine and Markkanen, the Bulls have plenty of intriguing prospects that they could develop in the long run. If they wind up having a high pick in the draft next year, Chicago will be a young exciting team to watch.
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